, 1887-06-02
KING COAL HAS A RIVAL.
NATURAL GAS IS WORKING WONDERS
IN OHIO.
Wells Innumorable Gushing Forth MIL
Hons OF Feet Of Gas-How an Old Doc
tor Proved His Faith Well Founded.
Superiority OF the Ohio Product.
Especial Correspondence

FINDLAY, Ohio. May 90
Tho tendency of people to grasp with fran
tic eagerness every business or social sensa-
ton that presents itself is powerfully illus
trated by tho widespread interest which the
recent discovery, In northwestern Ohio, of
natural gas In large quantities, has attracted.
For seventy-fve years the northwestern
corner Of Ohio has been quiet agricultural
and numbering region. 1t was originally a
swampy part Of the state, but has been re-
deemed by the grace Of cultivation and drain
age; still, 1t has never been considered a
favored district, and few years ago no geolo-
gist or practical driller would have advised a
friend or patron TO put down well in west
ern Ohio. But conditions change with dra-
matte celebrity In this country, and to-day
northwestern Ohio is the scene of an intense
and contagious excitement.
++s
A few days ago the largest gas well in the
world was struck near Finday. Its daily
output Of gas is 20, 900, 900 cubic feet There
are in the aggregate forty five gas wells in
and about Findlay. Together they pour
forth 100, 100000 cubic feet Of gas daily, an
equal amount in heating capacity to 5000
tons Of COAL
The Ohio natural gas is said to be richer In
heat producing properties than the Pennsyl-
vania gas by 15 per cent, according to the
tests and estimates Of scientific men. A prac-
tical manufacturer of glass told me, however,
that there was difference of so per cent. In
favor of the Ohio gas; at Pittsburg it required
sixteen gas pipes of uniform size to meet the
demands Of his furnace, while at Findlay the
same amount Of work was done by eight
pipes similar in size and arrangement.
The town of Findlay has unique situation.
1t stands directly over great reservoir Of
natural gas and petroleum.
There is a very important aud significant
geological fact In connection with the Ohio
gas and oil discoveries. Both fluids come
from the Trenton limestone, q widespread
formation of the lower silurian age In order
that gas or oil may be given forth in valuable
quantities there must always be some struc-
tural popularity IN the Trenton limestone
formation so that an arch will be formed to
serve as storehouse for the fluids to accu-
mulate in. The town Of Findlay, which IL
the center OF the gas region, is built over
such n fold or arch in the limestone. The
western extremity Of this arch is coincident
with the north and south line made by the
Main street Of Findlay, SO that we'll may
be drilled anywhere east of that street, and
dry gas will be found in abundance at a
depth of about l,l50 feet. A person cannot
uiB u Scha VI wei WltuOub StILlnR some gas
free, and it Is said, in jest. that difficulty
is found In setting fence posts on account of
the pressure Of gas from beneath. The ground
seems to be saturated with it, and it was the
presence Of very considerable surface indica-
tions that led to the drilling of the first gas
well, three years ago. The people OF Findlay
saw indications of gas for half q century
without suspecting the remarkable treasure
underlying them. One man in the town, .
German physician named Charles Oesterlen,
read the s. "'s with an intelligent and pro-
phetic eye. Forty years ago he became con-
vinced that an enormous reservoir of natural
gas lay beneath the town of Findlay. He
told his belief and was scoffed at--men called
him the "gas fool" and until 1884 he was re-
garded as vain dreamer. But patience cad
perseverance at last prevailed, and thiee
years ago he succeeded in organizing stock
company to drill for gas. The we'll was a
successful one, and when the gas gushed
forth with painting roar and shot column
Of flame sixty feet into the air, people were
alarmed for a time. But the faith of DR..
Oesterlen was vindicated and the truth of his
theories established.
Findlay was a small and almost unknown
town when gas was struck. 1t took a year
for the news of the wonderful discoveries to
spread, and 1t was not till last year, when the
great karg well, with capacity OF 10, ,OOO, 600
cubic feet daily, was struck, that the atten-
ton OK the public was arrested by the devel-
opments and possibilities at Finday.
The owners of the wells were at loss to
dispose of their gas for a time For many
months the grent Karg well blew its mighty
volumes of gas into the air and wasted every
hour enough to supply city. The roar OF
this well could be heard for two miles, and
when 1t was lighted at night great balloon
shaped tower of flame sprang like magic 100
feet into the air and lighted up the country
for score of miles about. The gas leaves
the wells with pressure of 400 pounds to the
square inch and with so much force that it
has raised piece of iron we ching three tons
more than 100 feet above the ground
At present the wells, with the exception of
nine new ones, are sealed up with iron con-
nections and valves, and are only opened
when it is desired to treat visitors to rare
and engaging spectacle. On the 10th of next
month there is to be celebration at FindIay
to commemorate the first anniversary of the
application of natural gas In Ohio to the
mechanical arts, and believe on that occa-
sion all of the wells are to be opened. II half
OF them are lighted at one time they will
make one of the most intense and brilliant
illuminations ever witnessed.
~.
Gas Is no longer wasted In large quantities,
though it is burned with the utmost freedom.
When one alghts from the cars great plumes
Of fame haring from 100 tall pipes greet
the eyes. These flames burn both night and
day. Natural gas Is cheap as air in Firdlay,
and any man can have gas well in his yard
II he so chooses The cost Of drilling a well
Is about 81 800, but gas is supplied so cheaply
70 consumers that no one thinks of drilling a
well except for a factory or mill. The city
,wns number of fine wells and has pipes
under all the streets Gas Is furnished to
consumers for fifteen cents month for each
rate or stove, and the consumer is permitted
20 burn as much or as little as he chooses.
There are no meters or other measuring ap-
,aratus used
The gas has distinct and penetrating sui